Rebound
by Medusa-sensei
Summary: [AU/SasuNaru] Naruto would smile, pretend like nothing was wrong, and act like everything was alright even though it hurts him inside. Sasuke was his friend; he can't afford to risk their friendship with a petty thing like love. But he had taken that risk, and now he has to deal with the consequences.
1. Dejection

**Edited: [05/16/15]**

 **A/N:** I have a bad habit of posting everything like the half-assed retard I am and I make it a thing to edit it afterwards TT^TT" Um, either way, here's Chapter One in all its edited glory. There are some changes so you might wanna reread it.

 **Disclaimer** : Speaking of which, I forgot this too. Nope. Own nothing.

 **Warning** : Ah, swearing. And if you hadn't seen that SasuNaru thing in the description, then there it is.

"What did you call me here for, dobe? Sakura and the others are waiting for us in the cafeteria so make it quick," Sasuke said, irritably clicking his tongue and quite unfortunately missing the anxious stare that Naruto was directing towards him and the anguished look that briefly flitted across the blue-eyed youth's face.

Naruto laughed sheepishly as he raised his hand to scratch the back of his head.

"It won't take long, I promise," he said with a reassuring grin. "Just… promise me that you'll listen, alright? And, well, just hear me till the end... And promise me that you also won't tell the others! And-"

Sasuke rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Just spit it out, idiot."

"I can't help it, you bastard!" Naruto growled. "I'm nervous!"

Realizing his mistake a second too late, Naruto received an amused stare from none other than the Uchiha himself who inclined his head and smirked.

"The greatest idiot of Konoha is _nervous_?"

"S…Shut up, teme! Everyone can get a little nervous sometimes!"

"It's not like you to be nervous, dobe."

Naruto kept his mouth firmly shut at that. It _really_ wasn't like him to be apprehensive of anything.

Sasuke heaved a deep sigh. Whatever he had to say was either ridiculously stupid or gravely serious. For it to provoke such a strong reaction – hesitation, of all things – was rare, especially when the subject of the matter was Naruto.

"Just get it over with already," he said flatly. "We can't keep Sakura waiting for too long. She'll think that we're fighting or something and you know how annoying she could get when it involves the two of us."

Something flickered within Naruto's frosty blue eyes.

It was… off-putting, to say the least.

The expressiveness that the blond-haired teen usually carried with him was nowhere to be found and in its place stood an unfamiliar _something_ that induced more uncertainty than the Uchiha was willing to admit.

"Sasuke," Naruto finally called as he took a few steps forward. "Promise me that you won't punch me for this."

And before Sasuke could even begin to comprehend what Naruto had meant – why would he punch him in the first place unless he starts a fight? -, Naruto was kissing him.

Naruto was _kissing_ him.

And it was over before Sasuke could even push him.

"I like you," Naruto confessed as he hastily pulled away, casually shrugging his shoulders while refusing to meet the Uchiha's gaze.

"...Naruto," Sasuke reluctantly began and he was sure to emphasize the fact that he called the other by his name – something which he seldom does -, "If this is some sort of prank, don't-"

"I'd give anything for it to be a prank, Sasuke," Naruto intervened before the other could even finish his sentence. "I'd give _anything_."

And Naruto meant it, Sasuke realized.

He didn't laugh and the smile on his face was far from the mischievous grins that he offers to the victims of his pranks. His expression was strained, eyes purposefully avoiding Sasuke's own as he stood, rigid and unmoving.

Naruto was _serious_ _._

 _Naruto was serious._

And when that sunk in, there was nothing left but silence.

Pressing against them was the real weight of their situation and the understanding that things might change between them as friends, as best friends and as two people with nearly indestructible bonds from years of camaraderie. There will be a shift, unwelcomed and abrupt, to their relationship and depending on Sasuke's response; it could actually sever whatever kind of bond they had.

Silently raising his hand to wipe at his lips with the back of his hand and knowing that Naruto caught the action despite his refusal to meet the Uchiha's eyes, Sasuke unhesitatingly replied with brutal honesty.

"I don't see you that way and I don't have any intention of seeing you in that way anytime soon," Sasuke bluntly stated as if the confession hadn't fazed him in the slightest.

And maybe, Naruto mused, it really hadn't.

This was _Sasuke_ , after all.

"I never thought you will," Naruto, much to his surprise, replied lightheartedly with a soft laugh. "I just, you know, thought that I'd get it off my chest and stuff."

Sasuke frowned skeptically. "Is that all, dobe?"

A convincing smile was all he gave as he waved his goodbye to his best friend - _and that's all he'll ever be -_ , discreetly trying to hide the trembling of his hands by shoving them inside his pockets and leaving as quickly as he could. He vaguely heard Sakura arrive, saying something about 'taking too long' and he hastened his pace. It was a mistake to leave but he didn't think he could handle facing anybody for a while.

All he needed was a while. Just a little while.

And hopefully, he'll be strong enough to force another smile by then.


	2. Contradiction

**Edited: [05/18/15]**

Running without any particular destination in mind, Naruto clenched his fist and resolutely resisted the urge to stop in fear of feeling reality and rationality hit him. He just ran. He ran and _ran_ until his legs couldn't take it anymore and he was forcibly dragged into a halt.

He panted, greedily inhaling air and wiping the sweat that trailed down his face. His back was damp with sweat and he could feel his heart hammering against his chest.

It took quite a while before he regained whatever composure he had left. By then, he chose to sit on the pavement with his back against the wall of some unfamiliar store with his knees drawn to his chest. He was still sweating but he had significantly cooled off after a few moments.

And he remained just like that for a few more minutes, alone and slightly broken inside.

He was stupid. He was so, _so_ stupid. They were just best friends. They hadn't even kissed- not until today, at least and there was no telling what Sasuke would've actually done if he knew what Naruto was going to do. The guy was straight and possibly even harboring some feelings for Sakura. Hell, as far as he was concerned, the most that Sasuke has shown to care for him was through lending out a hand when he was in a pinch and he was stupid to assume that there was something _more_. This was Sasuke. He was that bastard who cared for _nobody_. And Naruto was no exception.

He was never an exception.

Naruto barked a laugh.

A billion doesn't even come close to counting all the people living in this world. But of all the people he had chosen to fall for, it _had_ to be Sasuke Uchiha.

 _Why did it have to be him?_

The slight twinge that he felt in his chest steadily grew into something painfully unbearable. It was gripping his heart in an uncomfortable yet inescapable hold and he found himself remaining unsurprised. This was the very same pain that he had dealt with for over a year- It's nothing new.

But just being used to it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt.

"I'm used to this. I _should_ be used to this," he weakly whispered to himself as he tightly held his knees to his chest. His grip was weak and the conviction was barely even there as he spoke.

"I should be used to this," he repeated.

 _But it hurts._

"I _should_ be."

 _Why does it hurt?_

He was stupid. And that couldn't be said enough.

"I'm sort of beginning to understand why Sasuke calls me an idiot all the time." Naruto laughed bitterly, drawing his knees closer to his chest, as if retreating and recoiling from reality.

But even for an idiot, Sasuke never left him alone, he thought. No matter how many mistakes he makes, how much embarrassment he brings to the Uchiha and how much of an ignorant retard he could be, Sasuke had stayed with him. He would act unconcerned when asked but he never did leave Naruto to deal with his problems alone.

Naruto could still remember that one time when he was confronted by the students from Ame High. He had been beaten nearly half to death – he had no chance in the very first place from being outnumbered – and was hospitalized for more than three weeks. Sakura had damn near hyperventilated when she found out what had happened to him. And Sasuke…

Sasuke had _never_ looked so defeated and tormented before.

And it was then that he realized how much Sasuke cared for him. How in between all the harsh insults, fistfights, arguments and rivalry, there was—

"There is _nothing_ ," Naruto said out loud, his blue eyes dead and unseeing. "There won't be anything."

Holding a hand up to his chest and feeling the throbbing pain grow stronger, he closed his eyes. He wanted to cry. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to scream his lungs out. He wanted something to get the bastard off of his mind. He _needed_ something.

But there was nothing.


	3. Detachment

**Edited: [05/19/15]**

"…Naruto?"

Blue eyes void of emotion and any signs of life looked into pale violet ones in a reflexive manner, indicating that the owner of the eyes was not even close to recognizing the person who had called him, inducing quite the fear from the older of the two who took in the vacant expression on the blue-eyed youth's face. There was an empty smile, naturally present on his face, and the red-haired man assumed that it was more of a habit than anything rather than a genuine display of appreciation or greeting.

"Kurama," he murmured. His voice was so frail and so weak it was barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry for dropping by without telling you beforehand. I hope you don't mind."

Kurama admittedly short circuited for a moment. Of _all_ the things that he was expecting to come home to after a busy day in work, seeing his younger brother, evidently distraught and in such a broken state, sitting outside his apartment in his school uniform at nearly 2 am in the morning was _definitely_ not one of them.

"I don't mind," Kurama quickly said, gently pulling the blond-haired teen to his feet, "Why didn't you _call_ me? I would've come here immediately if you told me that you were coming to visit. How long have you been waiting out here? It's 2 am!"

The red-haired man hastily unlocked the door to his apartment, ushering his younger brother inside and supporting him when he stumbled from what he assumed was the lack of movement for who knows how long. He felt a surge of panic blossom within his chest of course but at the moment, Kurama doubted visibly panicking would help any of them so he chose to keep it to himself. Panic and discomfort was the last thing he'd like to show the younger teen when he was at _this_ state.

It took less than five minutes before they both settled themselves in Kurama's living room with a cup of hot chocolate within their tight grasps, one out of apprehension and the other out of wariness and exhaustion. Kurama had unbuttoned his white button-down shirt and his necktie loosely hung around his neck, deciding that changing out of his attire could come later after this- whatever _this_ could actually lead to. His blood red hair that resembled their deceased mother's own which was usually tame had a sense of roughness from the numerous times he ran his fingers through it in frustration during work, contrasting and bringing out his startling pale violet eyes which had dark bags underneath from sleep deprivation after working non-stop for days. He looked extremely fatigued but Kurama figured that Naruto was way off worse.

No words had to be spoken as they basked in comfortable yet reluctant silence for a while. They were brothers and even though they don't see each other as often as they used to when Naruto was a mere child, that didn't mean that they had forgotten how they dealt with each other's pain. They've been through this countless of times before. No one had to force the other to initiate the conversation and they agreed – though no words had to be said for it to be considered an agreement – that no questions will be asked unless answers were given first.

And Naruto who was vividly aware of the conditions started speaking.

"I... I don't really know what happened," Naruto admitted slowly. "I can't say that I was… _dumped_ since we weren't going out in the very first place. _Rejection_ might have been the word, but I can't say for sure because if I knew Sasuke well enough, he'll probably be disregarding the fact that I see him in _that_ way and we'll just move on and continue with life as best friends- and that isn't really 'rejecting' me. It's either that or he'll be avoiding me like the plague, uncomfortable and horrified and all that. But I don't think he's that type of person and the worst part is that I'm not sure if I'm just convincing myself that he wouldn't hate me or that I'm telling the truth. I don't _know_ the truth. How the fuck should I even know the truth? Nothing… _Nothing_ makes sense, Kurama. Everything is really, _really_ just all over the place for me right now- I don't even know where to begin. I'm so lost. I don't fucking know what to do. I... I just… Everything is so _fucked_ up."

Kurama stayed silent, well aware of the contradictions that he was witnessing.

When he found Naruto sitting with his back against the door to his apartment with his eyes drawn to the sound of someone calling his name, he looked so empty as if nothing was registering in his head and that he was simply relying on instinct to do what he has to; he was doing everything how he _thought_ he should, hence the empty smiles. But now that they were speaking, he was showing awareness towards his situation by admitting how he felt. He knew what was happening but the _emptiness_ still exists.

And Kurama knew the root of the contradictions.

Detachment and impassiveness generally made it easier for them to tell what they do not want to talk about because they see themselves as completely different people. Right now, Kurama was fairly certain that Naruto was oblivious to the fact that he was even talking about himself.

"Let's start from the beginning then," Kurama said finally after a bout of silence.

"What happened?"

"I finally told Sasuke that I like him."

Kurama tried his best to mask the sense of urgency that overtook him and the perplexity that accompanied it.

"You admitted that you liked him over a year ago, Naruto. What made you do what you did now of all times?"

Blue eyes moved from warm chocolate to pale violet.

"Itachi offered Sasuke an option to move to Suna and when I found out about that, I wanted to, at the very least, let him know so that I wouldn't regret not saying anything. I didn't want to make the same mistake, Kurama. Not again if I couldn't help it. I'd rather suffer the consequences of doing something rather than hurting inside, knowing that I didn't."

"Are you talking about Jiraiya-san?"

Naruto slowly nodded, but other than that, he said nothing else.

"Naruto," Kurama sighed, "What made you think that Sasuke was leaving for Suna? You said that Itachi offered him an option. He has the option to decline and you shouldn't assume-"

There was an abrupt flash of emotion in his younger brother's eyes when he said,

"He didn't."

"…He _didn't_?"

"The reason why I finally told him was because he said yes. He didn't decline Itachi's offer."

"For… for how long will he be staying?" There was a sense of dread, slowly trickling into Kurama's system, and the older of the two slowly began to understand that this might've been worse than it sounds.

"An indefinite amount of time," Naruto stated mechanically as if he was repeating what someone had said. "Itachi is a very influential man and he has their family business perfectly under his control but he was uneasy- there were recent attempts to take him out because of the almost astounding results that Uchiha Inc. was producing throughout the past years under his management and he wanted to ensure the safety of his little brother. So until the matter has been dealt with, Sasuke will have to stay in Suna."

It was as if the trigger was set off because Naruto continued talking even without Kurama's encouragement, his voice gaining a sharper edge.

"I panicked. I didn't want to lose him- we were always together. We had always been ever since three years ago. I didn't know what to do and I began to think and I thought too much. I thought about how Sasuke might prefer living in Suna than in Konoha. I thought about how he might never come back. I thought about how this might be the last time I'm seeing him. I thought about how the friendship that we established might crumble to nonexistence by the time he returns and then we'll treat each other like strangers. I thought about many things, Kurama, and it _scared_ me shitless. So… so I forced myself to make a decision. I made up my mind to settle it once and for all- to tell him and get it over with so that if he left, I wouldn't feel like… like _this._ That eventually, if I was rejected, I'd come to _accept_ it and… move on. That _eventually_ , everything will return to normal and we'll all be together again. That I wouldn't have to tell myself that I hate him every single night to convince myself that it was the truth when it wasn't… And that… that I wouldn't look at him with these eyes because we are… we were _best friends_ … I… I don't want to lose him… I just… want everything to go back to how it used to be…"

Naruto slowly looked at Kurama, an utterly defeated look plastered across his face.

"...Nii-san," he breathed, tears beginning to gather within his lifeless blue eyes, "Can... can you please tell me how to give up on someone?"

Kurama promptly dropped the cup he had in his hands, ignoring the way it shattered on the floor and how its contents spilled in favor of rushing over to his brother's side to hold him.

Right before him sat the very same child who had blamed himself for the death of his own parents for years, crushed by guilt, engulfed in self-loathing and tormented by loneliness and hopelessness. Kurama couldn't give a damn if the world was ending right then.

After all, it has been 11 years since Naruto had cried so openly within his brother's arms.

 **A/N** : I based Kurama's personality on Minato's own. I mean, if Naruto were to have a brother, I suspected that since Naruto had his father's coloring and his mother's mischievous personality, Kurama would have it the other way around.


	4. Hollow Sincerity

Kurama looked up to see his brother walking towards the dining table in a dazed state, carrying himself in what he supposed to be a rejuvenated manner after sleeping all morning. It must have been quite a while since he had slept that well.

"I feel like shit," Naruto muttered under his breath as he raised his hand to touch his head.

Kurama chuckled. "That's good."

The blond-haired teenager looked at his brother with blatant skepticism and incredulity, wondering just how feeling like he's been run over by elephants, buried 90 feet underneath the ground and hauled back up only to be repeatedly stomped on by Godzilla could be 'good' for anyone. Did his brother inherit their mother's sadistic tendencies after all?

"I can tell by the look on your face that you're thinking of something incredibly stupid right now, Naruto," Kurama monotonously pointed out as he placed a plate in front of his brother who looked torn between glaring and laughing.

In the end, it didn't matter because Naruto greedily ate what was on his plate as if he hadn't eaten any decent meal for weeks.

They ate their breakfast which consisted of blueberry pancakes and waffles in silence, fairly comfortable with each other's presence and feeling at ease with the knowledge that no questions would be asked to open up a pathway to their conversation last night. It was frightening enough to witness his younger brother revert back to how he used to be 11 years ago. He didn't want a repeat of the events last night.

Kurama took a small bite from his pancake as he glanced at his brother. As soon as Naruto began sobbing into his chest like all those many years ago, Kurama made his mind to interfere, deciding that he had stayed out of his brother's life long enough. He couldn't afford having his brother return back to the way he had used to be after their parents' death.

"I called Tsunade-san a moment ago," the red-haired man began, choosing to omit the fact that he had called Tsunade last night right after Naruto had fallen asleep, "And I told her that you won't be attending for one whole week."

Naruto choked on his waffles. "You _what_?"

"I cancelled all my appointments this particular week. I also called your friend from your part-time job to tell the same thing," Kurama offhandedly stated. "As for your apartment, one of my friends, Matatabi, is now looking after it."

Naruto vaguely remembered meeting Kurama's friends, recalling the only woman amongst all nine of them with shoulder-length wavy blue hair that was nearly as dark as his eyes and slitted golden eyes. Matatabi carried herself with feline grace and although seemingly fragile, she was the fiercest out of all nine of them. She had a vast field of influence over Konoha and other towns just like all the other eight who exceeded their fields of professions.

"Wait, wait," he hastily said, eyes wide. "Why would you-"

Kurama didn't even bat an eyelash as he said, "You haven't been sleeping properly and I'm assuming that this was the first time in _months_ that you've even slept for as long as 10 hours. You haven't been looking after yourself and Matatabi called to tell me how you barely even clean your own apartment. She checked the contents of your kitchen and she told me that all it contained was ramen. She also suspected that you've been punching the walls often from all the dents on the wall that she found in your room."

Naruto drastically paled. He had forgotten about those…

"If you're going to tell me that everything is _fine_ and that I don't have to worry because you're _mature_ enough to handle your own problems and that I have enough as it is from being the owner of one of the biggest incorporations next to the Uchiha's, I will _punch_ you," Kurama warned.

The Namikaze had a thing for keeping their words so Naruto should understand what Kurama was trying to imply.

"I... understand," Naruto said softly.

It wasn't the fact that he was being forced or that Kurama was telling him what to do that frustrated him. It was the thought of bothering his brother and everybody else because of his helplessness.

"I'm sorry," he murmured as he set his fork down on his plate.

Kurama reached across the table to pinch his younger brother's nose.

"You're not bothering anybody, Naruto," he stated firmly in a reprimanding tone, knowing well what was running through his brother's head, a fond smile on his face. "We are helping you because we care about you."

" _Kurama!_ " Naruto gave an indignant shriek as he flailed his arms in protest and unintentionally smacking Kurama over his head. Kurama blinked and Naruto froze.

"You little…" Kurama murmured before he was interrupted by a familiar laughter, startling the brothers who turned to face a young man with hair the color of sand and streaks of black in some places. There were swirling marks – tattoos? Birthmarks? - on his pale skin, accentuating his eyes which were the same color as his hair. He wore a pair of leather pants and a loose white shirt that showed his shoulders. Underneath, he wore a black sleeveless shirt and around his neck was a black choker. He had several piercings and a feral smirk graced his features.

Behind him was a younger man with hair that was a light shade of bluish green, the left part of his face concealed by his hair. His attire was completely different from his companion as he had chosen to wear a black button up shirt and jeans. He directed a playful salute towards Kurama, a mischievous and noticeable nicer smile on his face.

"Oh, this is _wonderful_ ," the taller of the two laughed as he stared at Kurama who remained fixated on his place with a slight frown. "Your brother _smacks_ you on the head and the mighty Kurama does _nothing_? Naruto, you lucky brat! If it had been Chomei, Kurama would've already beheaded him and buried the rest of his body far, far away!"

Chomei shot his companion a dark look unbefitting of his childish features.

"Please refrain from using me as an example, Shukaku-san!"

"What, do you actually expect me to listen to you?"

"Yeah, you always do especially when Kurama-san is involved."

"Fuck you! I don't listen to anybody!"

Naruto stopped in his tracks and stared, his silence immediately catching Kurama's attention. A few seconds later, Shukaku and Chomei seems to have noticed the unusual silence and they, too, quieted down.

And then slowly – agonizingly _slowly_ \- a genuine smile spread across his face, surprising the occupants of the room that watched on as the blue-eyed youth tackled the two in a tight hug. Shukaku looked as uncomfortable as humanly possible while Chomei enthusiastically returned it with a bright smile on his face.

For a short while, Naruto felt as if everything was alright again.

 **A/N:** Human Bijuu ftw xD


	5. The Talk 1

"You've grown so much, Naruto-kun," Matatabi remarked with a delightful smile as she sat beside the blue-eyed youth who moved over to give her space. She nodded her thanks and made herself comfortable in her seat while sharply sending a quick glance at the kitchen to ensure that the other three – Chomei, Kurama and Shukaku – wouldn't be listening in to their conversation.

"How are you?"

Naruto laughed, the mere sound uncharacteristically quiet for someone as boisterous and exuberant as Naruto himself, slightly surprising the woman.

"I wouldn't really say that I'm… fine," he replied. Even the way he _spoke_ was like his brother's way of speaking- calm, calculated and scarily unreadable at a certain extent. "But I _will_ be."

Naruto slowly reached out to touch his hair, a bashful smile on his face. Shreds of black disrupted the vibrant blond, oddly reminding her of Shukaku's hair which was noticeably in the same state except for the fact that his hair was a light brown in color- just like the sand. Piercings adorned his right ear, heightening the resemblance between him and said man.

His smile grew, stretching the three neat lines that were present on each side of his cheeks. It wasn't just the hair, Matatabi mused. Five days into the week which Kurama conserved for his brother and himself, Naruto had changed. It must have been the fact that Naruto rarely visited, content with just leaving simple messages in his brother's mail, and now that he's in the presence of his brother once again, he has reverted back to what she supposed to be his previous habit- unintentionally imitating his brother.

"Kurama told me that you're looking after my apartment," Naruto said, dragging Matatabi out of her inner musings. "I'm sorry that you had to see it in that state."

"There's no need for you to apologize. _I_ should be the one apologizing for intruding in your home without your knowledge."

"Well," Naruto laughed, "I'm just glad that it's you who is looking after it right now. I do hope that you're alright with it since you're probably busy with your own problems and stuff."

Matatabi raised an eyebrow.

"Do you doubt my abilities to manage my schedule and business, Naruto-kun?"

"No, no, of course not!" the blue-eyed youth hastily said, eyes wide at being apparently misunderstood. He was about to explain himself when Matatabi regarded him with a look of pure amusement.

"I was simply messing with you, Naruto-kun. There's no need to fret."

Naruto sighed, placing a hand over his chest. "Please don't tease me like that. I seriously thought you were angry."

"Shukaku must find it amusing to tell you stories when we used to be all together in high school, I presume?"

Naruto paled.

Laughing once more at the blue-eyed youth's lack of composure – because one could only be like his brother so much, especially when it was Kurama that they were talking about -, Matatabi finally thought that it was time to regard some certain issues that needs to be brought to Naruto's attention before she leaves. There's only two days left and by then, Naruto will have to go back to his apartment.

"Anyway, I came here to ask you and tell you about things you probably have no knowledge about," she uttered. "Believe it or not, Kurama and I have barely kept in touch in these past few days that I was responsible for looking after your apartment. He had given me the right of dealing with everything in a way that I suppose will be the best for you but before that, I thought that it was best to tell him in what condition your apartment was in."

Naruto straightened in his seat and nodded in understanding.

"After that, I was practically left to my own devices to do what I think I should. I barely touched your belongings and I did nothing to change its state. I believe Kurama took possession of your phone so that you have no way of knowing who was calling...?"

"Yeah, it bothered me at first but Kurama told me that Chomei was dealing with the calls and that I should just trust him," Naruto confirmed.

"And you did," Matatabi said more than asked, receiving a confirmative nod as a response. "As you have probably guessed, those who were left to deal with whatever Chomei has to say came to drop by for some confirmation and were quite surprised to see that instead of Uzumaki Naruto, they found some unknown woman instead. To add to the confusion, your apartment was untouched."

Realization was gradually beginning to settle within the blue-eyed youth's features.

"The very first who came to visit was Sakura Haruno. Chomei called to tell me that a girl – Sakura-chan, as your phone provided – had been calling him as soon as Kurama had handed him your phone. She was perplexed, worried, and most of all, _livid_ at having some random man answer her best friend's phone."

Naruto winced. It was understandable.

"And so, Chomei said things that would buy me enough time to settle in your apartment. She dropped by the second day and unfortunately; I was in the middle of taking a brief shower when she had started banging on the door."

"…She misunderstood?" Naruto weakly asked, searching the woman's expression for denial. He stiffened when there was none.

"That, she did," Matatabi said with a nod, looking far too pleased. "She blushed, sputtered, and left without any questions."

"However," Matatabi said, her voice gaining a more dangerous tone, "As many as the people who had come to ask questions and left with the same reaction as Sakura Haruno, there were those who weren't deterred in the slightest to press me into letting them inside. Two of them were Neji Hyuuga and his cousin, Hinata Hyuuga."

Apprehension visibly crept into the blue-eyed youth's face at the mention of two of his closest friends.

"Wait, _two_ of _them_?" Naruto repeated, terrified. "There's more?"

"Oh believe me, Naruto-kun," Matatabi snorted, "They don't compare to Sasuke Uchiha."

Naruto didn't speak or move for a few moments. He just met Matatabi's gaze, his blue eyes mirroring just how horror-stricken he was beyond words.

 **A/N:** After rereading the previous chapters, I noticed that I often describe Kurama as a 'red-haired teen' when, in fact, he should be a red-haired **man**. He's 5 years older than Naruto, making him 21 years old.

Also, to clear things up, Naruto hadn't seen Kurama in years. Despite the fact that Kurama's apartment isn't far (maybe an hour's worth of walking distance?), he never made it a thing to visit the man. Sure they talked over the net, but Naruto didn't want to bother his brother since he was busy managing his business. Of course, Kurama doesn't mind but that didn't stop Naruto from thinking it will.


	6. The Talk 2

"I think that's quite enough for today, Matatabi."

Kurama placed his hands on his younger brother's shoulders, his gaze blisteringly intense as he dared Matatabi to question his decision to leave the kitchen despite her threat. Shukaku appeared from the kitchen with Chomei not too far behind, arms crossed over his chest, uneasiness increasingly building up within him at the heavy atmosphere that enshrouded the room. They didn't hear what Matatabi had said before they exited the kitchen. All they knew was that Kurama had somehow gauged out when it was time to make an entrance and interrupt whatever was going on between Matatabi and Naruto.

"Get in my room," Kurama murmured softly. "Chomei and Shukaku will be there with you if you want to talk."

Thankfully, Naruto didn't seem as shaken as Kurama would've expected. He quietly stood up with a slow nod, his apologetic smile voicing what couldn't be said between them with their audience closely watching them, leaving the other four in the living room to deal with whatever has to be dealt with.

After a few moments of motionless staring, Kurama frowned and looked towards the other two men who had been standing behind him the whole time as quietly as they could.

"I _did_ say that you will be there if he wanted to talk, didn't I?"

"…You did," Shukaku confirmed stiffly. Chomei didn't seem as willing as he was to be on the receiving end of Kurama's irritation.

"Then what are you still doing here in the living room when Naruto is obviously in _my_ room? Are you expecting that he'd want to hold a conversation _telepathically_?"

Chomei didn't even have to think twice before dragging Shukaku with him into Kurama's room, knowing that saying something or anything else would further agitate the already irritated man. They had experienced first-hand how it was like to be in the presence of a positively livid Kurama. They most definitely didn't want to go through it again, now that they were grown men.

As the sound of the door closing rang clearly throughout the living room, Kurama sat on where Naruto was sitting, his deep inhale filling in the silence that now overtook them as soon as Chomei and Shukaku left.

"He… changed, didn't he?"

Matatabi turned her head to look at Kurama. At the very least, she could understand why Kurama was irritated. She stepped on a landmine and no matter how unwillingly she had done so, it won't change the fact that she did. And this particular landmine, she thought grimly, was a recently planted one.

Following his trail of gaze and finding that he was staring at nothing in particular – because Matatabi was sure that a lamp wasn't particularly an interesting object to be stared at -, she asked, "What?"

"That's what you're thinking, right? You're probably finding it hard to believe that he's the same Naruto whom you used to visit when he was just a mere child."

"…I can't quite bring myself to deny that," Matatabi acquiesced with a small hesitant smile, dispelling yet not entirely getting rid of the tense atmosphere. "He looks a lot like Shukaku."

"With those tattoos on his face, the lobe piercings, and the dyeing of his hair, I can see why you'd think he looks like that raccoon." The woman chuckled at the familiar moniker. "It's been five days and Naruto is becoming more and more like Shukaku than me, his very own _brother_."

At that, all traces of faint amusement vanished. Matatabi's eyes narrowed and the smile on her face was replaced with a frown.

"…What exactly happened, Kurama? I doubt that Naruto is the type of person to welcome any sort of change."

Kurama stared at her and exhaled loudly.

This was going to be a _long_ conversation.

* * *

Chomei glanced at Shukaku and he just _knew_ that he'll be doing most of the talking. He was standing by the door; frozen rigid and possibly more shaken up than he'd like to admit at being subjected under Kurama's dark stare. Shukaku could be a lot of things and being a prideful douche was one of them. But he can't, despite all his efforts, stand up against a slightly irritated Kurama who might as well be a ticking time bomb that wouldn't hesitate to violently amputate and dismember everyone within his field of vision while smiling warmly like the terrifying demon he was. Kurama might be all smiles and laughs but that was what made him terrifying- he was _unpredictable_ when he snaps. And Chomei would rather not be an encouragement of any form to make said man angry.

"I'm sorry."

All of Chomei's rather unpleasant thoughts came to a screeching halt.

He blinked in surprise as he gave a puzzled frown, vaguely noticing how Shukaku chose to sit beside the teen instead of standing near the door - undoubtedly wanting to hear what could be a little too soft to be heard - but ignoring it in favor of focusing all his attention on the blue-eyed youth who found it necessary to _apologize_ for some reason.

"What are you apologizing for? There's nothing to apologize for..."

Naruto shook his head. His eyes narrowed and he smiled weakly.

"Did Kurama tell you anything about why he needed you to come here?"

Shukaku and Chomei shared a look. He hadn't.

One day, Kurama just calls them, asks them to do him a favor by allocating time from their packed schedules for his younger brother for reasons that he refused to offer. They wisely chose not to ask any questions since this was the first time in a while that Kurama ever asked for literally _anything_. The man always managed to get by on his own; from looking after Naruto despite being merely five years older than his younger brother and to managing his parents business which they have left for their sons to inherit. It was a little scary how he had managed to get past through it all with his sanity intact.

"…No," Chomei admitted as he took a seat on the other side of Naruto. "He didn't tell us."

"Well, then," Naruto sighed as he pushed himself to scoot back a little so he'll have enough room to fold his legs and hold them to his chest, "I guess I'm supposed to tell everything?"

It was Shukaku who answered, much to their surprise.

"No. You don't have to." He pinched Naruto's cheek, earning a satisfyingly loud yelp. "Unless you actually _want_ to tell us, then don't force yourself."

Naruto tried to swat Shukaku's hand away with a glare. He was, however, obviously failing to make it anything close to menacing from the gratitude present within his eyes and the relieved smile that pulled on his lips.

Rubbing at his abused cheek and wincing – because _damn_ , Shukaku was like a crab when he pinches -, Naruto laughed and relaxed, knowing that even if Shukaku hadn't said what he had, he would still say everything. He just felt more at ease now that he knew that they weren't going to push.

He took in a deep breath and began.

"I… saw my best friend in a way that I shouldn't."

First step into the story and they were frozen stiff in trepidation. Naruto's eyes weren't glazed over as if he was reminiscing; in fact, he looked like he was doing his very best not to. He resolutely stared at the ground and continued.

"It wasn't as if it was love at first sight. As far as I know, until a year ago, I was a healthy straight guy. In fact, prior to my sudden… _realization_ , I thought I was totally head over heels for another childhood friend of mine who always hung out around us." He gripped the tip of his bangs which were dyed black, twisting it a few times between his fingertips before letting it fall over his forehead with a small sad smile. "But life is an asshole."

He blew out a sigh and fell back on the couch, his expression vacant.

"She liked him, instead."

"…Wait, so," Chomei said as he tried to match everything that Naruto said up so far, "If I'm correct, you said that you liked your best friend. But you also said you were head over heels for another friend of yours who… liked _him_ instead? So this 'best friend' is a male?"

Naruto bit his lip and murmured, "Yeah."

Leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs, Shukaku asked, "What made you realize?"

Naruto's face scrunched up in thought as he tried to think of what started it all.

"I realized when I… failed my math test."

Shukaku looked extremely unimpressed.

"You found out that you liked your guy best friend who you have been with for three whole years one day because you _failed your math test_?" Chomei deadpanned.

Embarrassed, Naruto quickly shook his head and tried to explain.

"No, it's not- well, _yes_ , technically I realized that after failing the test but not in _that_ way!"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Give me some time to make some sense out of it then!"

Shukaku and Chomei shared a look, simultaneously saying, "We are."

Naruto slapped his hand over his face, exasperated. "Look, I failed my math test and Sasuke insulted my intelligence like that bastard always does every single day – that damn _prick_ \- but after that, he offered to help me and Hinata-chan said how lucky I must be to have a friend like Sasuke and all and then that night I happened to think about things and I _never_ think about things because things _happen_ when I think and that night after thinking, it just _hit_ me and things _did_ happen-"

"Breathe, Naruto, _breathe_! Jesus fucking Christ, you didn't have to shit it all out like your pride depended on it!" Shukaku nearly screamed.

"It kind," Naruto panted, "It kind of _did_!"

"That made sense." Chomei nodded. "Somehow."

Shukaku ran his fingers through his hair and rolled his eyes. " _Somehow_."

Ignoring Shukaku's remark, Chomei asked, "And so, what does… Sasuke have to do with anything as to why Kurama had asked us to come here?"

Naruto tensed and he blew out a shaky breath.

"He… well, he kind of has the same situation as I do but his brother works far away. So, you see, his brother has problems with work and he wanted Sasuke to come to Suna for a while for his safety and..."

"…You said- Naruto, you did say that you saw your best friend in a way you shouldn't and that you realized this a year ago but… you couldn't have possibly… you couldn't have kept it to yourself for an entire _year_ now, could you?"

Chomei's eyes widened when Naruto nodded his head with a remorseful smile.

"I held it in. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, after all. I couldn't take the chance."

The words slipped out before Shukaku could stop them.

"But you took it when you found out that he was leaving."

Naruto froze and held his breath as if he was afraid of making any sounds. His eyes were downcast, his smile strained and his body all but trembling from the effort to stop himself from doing anything that he wouldn't want to. He just sat there for a few minutes, conflicted, before nodding.

"I did. Like I said, things happen when I think too much. I was scared that he might never come back but I doubted that. Even still, knowing that it – the thought of Sasuke _never_ coming back - wasn't completely impossible pushed me into finally saying it. And he… he refused me, telling me that he won't see me that way. It was fine, really. I expected it. But I hoped that there might be a chance - no matter how slight - for him to acknowledge and possibly even reciprocate it..."

He gritted his teeth as he pressed his face into his knees.

"I know I'm not exactly being the smartest one out there by choosing to run away and bothering Kurama with his work, especially when he has enough with being the head of the business that our parents left behind, but I… I thought that if I could be selfish this once, just _this_ once… I'd be content."

"Is this why you were apologizing?"

Naruto forced a smile.

"Yeah."

"You don't have to apologize," Shukaku stated casually. "Really, it isn't as if we were _forced_ to come here. Chomei and I wanted to see how much you've grown even before Kurama had called us. So really, don't apologize."

Chomei nodded and grinned. "Besides, I'm sure that you'll be alright. You're strong, Naruto! You aren't brought down easily!"

Within his chest, Naruto was feeling many things.

But one emotion stood out from the rest.

It was doubt.

He has two days, and after that, he'll have no other choice but to confront Sasuke.

Will… will he really be strong enough by then?

Just _hearing_ Sasuke's name was enough to mess with his head. Can he really bear seeing him, standing in front of him and _speaking_ with him?

Will he really be alright?


	7. The Return

Naruto knocked on the door of the Principal's office, warily casting a glance at his older brother over his shoulder and frowning. Kurama had forcefully insisted on coming with him to school after a quick call to his secretary who raised no questions about his possibly delayed arrival to work today and promptly drove Naruto to Konoha High at a speed that made Naruto hold onto his seatbelt for dear life. His questions were left unasked and drowned by the promise that he'll _never_ ride a vehicle that Kurama was driving if he can't help it.

Heaving a deep sigh as he waited for Tsunade to give the permission for entrance, he let his gaze sweep over the isolated hallways of the school. It was unsurprising; it's half an hour past his first period so most students should be in their classrooms right now.

Well, there's also the usual lot who'd rather skip classes for the fun of it whom Naruto _might_ be familiar with.

"Come in," he heard Tsunade call from the other side of the door.

Naruto adjusted his bag on his shoulder and stepped into the room, uncertain yet determined to face the questions that the woman must have for him regarding his absence. Kurama quietly followed behind him with his hands inside his pockets, seemingly taking in the interior of the office.

With one last glance towards his brother, Naruto turned to face Tsunade with a bright smile and said, "It's been a while, old hag."

There was no response.

The silence wore on, much to his discomfort, and he was forced to open his eyes to see why the woman didn't punch him straight out of her window at being called 'old hag'. It might have to do with the distance between him and the blonde but then, she _usually_ had an object close enough to hurl whenever he drops by to annoy her if he was too far out of reach.

"…Excuse me, boy," Tsunade slowly said with a skeptical frown as she stared at Naruto- or specifically, his uniform, "Why are you wearing Konoha High's uniform? I believe I haven't seen you around before."

Naruto blinked twice.

… _What_?

"And you," she gestured her head to Kurama's direction with a glare, "We aren't accepting enrollment at this time of the year unless you're actually willing to catch up with several months' worth of school work and… May I ask what you find so fucking _funny_ that you'd laugh and dare to interrupt me?"

Kurama held his hand over his mouth and tried – dear lord, he _tried_ – to muffle his laughter, a little too amused with the entire situation. He turned away, his shoulders trembling from the effort of suppressing his mirth.

"…Old hag, you really _are_ a little too old for school management," Naruto deadpanned, voice monotonous. "Maybe it's about time you ask Shizune-chan to take your place.

"For," Kurama struggled to say, "For once… I- I agree with – _pfft_ – Naruto, Tsunade-san…"

Tsunade was quick to change from confusion to full-blown embarrassment.

And then to anger.

She stood up from her seat and all the humor drained out of Kurama's face as he eyed the woman's clenched fist, knowing quite well where this was headed in a few seconds if they don't do something. He quickly grabbed his brother's wrist and unhesitatingly shoved him in front of the woman who was slowly advancing towards them.

As soon as the blue-eyed youth came within arm's reach, Tsunade raised her fist and slammed it down on Naruto's head, the sound of his teeth clacking fairly audible over the silence that now fell over the room.

Kurama winced in spite of himself.

That _had_ to hurt.

"You idiot," Tsunade murmured. Her hand fell to her side and she looked him in the eyes, hazel orbs alight with genuine concern and confusion. She was asking him silently, almost pleadingly. After a few moments, he guessed that his eyes mirrored his indecision from the woman's reaction. She withdrew and stepped back, a smile of comprehension on her face as she crossed her arms above her well-blessed chest.

"Well, you must be so damned happy that you got to spend an entire week off with Kurama, eh, brat?" she asked. Naruto was sure that she hadn't missed the way he visibly sagged from relief. "Although to be honest, with all the classes that you've skipped, I'm quite surprised that you still found the need to ask permission for an entire week off. I mean, the number of classes you've missed is far greater than a mere _seven_ days."

Naruto could _feel_ his brother staring at him, although he didn't quite understand why Kurama would be angry over the fact that he failed to attend some – though that would be a little bit of a stretch - classes. He could make it up to his teachers once he decides to finally attend their classes – which he _rarely_ ever does but Kurama didn't need to know that – but no matter how you look at it, Naruto thought, skipping classes doesn't compare to being used as a sacrificial lamb for the demon. His head was throbbing from the collision, damn it.

"And _those_ ," Tsunade emphasized as she stared at the tattoos on his face, the black highlights that disrupted the vibrant color of his hair and the piercings that she was positive weren't there before in his ears, "You _do_ know that you can get expelled because you have those, right?"

Naruto was quick to defend himself. "If expelling students for getting tattoos and piercings was a thing, almost half of the entire student population of Konoha High would be forced to leave. Besides, I thought appearances didn't matter as long as they kept their academics above average and shit?"

"That speech is reserved for those who _actually_ maintain their grades above average, Naruto," Kyuubi pointed out.

"Hey, my grades _are_ above average!"

Tsunade snorted. "Barely."

"Why do I feel like you two are teaming up against me?" Naruto questioned exasperatedly. "Shouldn't we like, talk about the fact that the old hag mistook us for completely different people and the way you eagerly used me as a human shield, Kurama?"

Kurama averted his gaze. "That's just my way of showing brotherly affection."

"If by brotherly affection you mean throwing me out like a piece of steak in front of a pack of hungry wolves, then fuck you."

"Language, Naruto. Although I'd agree with one thing- that must have been one of the best accidental pranks we've ever pulled in a while."

Tsunade scowled at that. _Anyone_ would've made the same mistake. Red hair wasn't really an unusual thing nowadays and the mere fact that Kurama combed his hair back significantly heightened the chance of mistaking him for somebody else. His attire which consisted of a leather jacket over a fit grey shirt and skinny jeans also made him look several years younger. Plus, she hadn't seen Kurama in a while.

As for Naruto- well, that was sort of obvious. Piercings, tattoos, and the slight change in his hairstyle… combine all three and it was hard to recognize the two of them.

"Naruto, I'm quite sure that you're half an hour past first period. What the hell are you still doing here? And you, Kurama, don't you have a company to manage?"

Naruto childishly pouted and Kurama snickered. The woman's effort to distract them wasn't working as well as she thinks it would.

"I guess," Naruto answered with a shrug. "Are you gonna stay here to talk for a little longer or are you heading back to work, Kurama?"

His brother glanced at his wristwatch and nodded. "I'll be heading off to work after I drop you to your classroom. I just dropped by to say hi, anyway."

Tsunade nodded in understanding as she casually waved the brothers away with her hand. She returned to her seat and sighed. The sooner they were gone, the less chances of being humiliated. "Go on, then. There's no point with delaying yourselves."

They smiled and left the room, vaguely hearing the sound of something like a drawer being opened before the door completely closed behind their backs.

They shared a look.

"She's drinking," Kurama said.

"She's _definitely_ drinking," Naruto returned.

The red-haired man shook his head as they slowly began to walk at a pace that was not at all hurried, their voices hushed in fear of somebody overhearing them now that they were outside of the office.

"It makes you wonder just how she manages a prestigious school like Konoha High and maintains its reputation. I often hear about the potential of the students and how the faculty of the school brings out and utilizes said potential for the best of the people here."

Naruto shrugged as he folded his arms behind his head. "Well, what can I say? The principal has a habit of betting and losing every gamble she participates in. She drinks and she keeps a stock of her favorite sake in her drawers. The teachers are very, _very_ weird. Some are perverts who openly read porn in front of their students, some came from the military, some has the voice to call every single student's attention within the entire three floors of the school, some encourages their students to run around the campus 209 times, and some have the beauty of a goddess and the temper of the devil."

"…I think you should reconsider your decision to study in this school for next year," Kurama said jokingly with a small smile.

"That's true, I guess."

Kurama's eyes widened. "What?"

Naruto frowned. It wasn't as if he was personally interested with studying in Konoha High and this was proven with the way he often skips his classes. It was just that most of his friends were here and that Tsunade just so happens to be a distant relative from their mother's side. With Tsunade as the principal, Naruto didn't have to worry about being expelled and troubling his brother who was paying for his tuition fee.

His eyes moved past Kurama's shoulder and he gestured towards the direction with his head. His brother turned to look at where he was gesturing.

He opened the door to his classroom, surprising the teacher in the room who he recognized was Iruka, and said, "I'll see you at home later. Are you going to fetch me after classes?"

Kurama shook his head. "I'm going to be late tonight. Call Shukaku. He'd like that."

Naruto laughed. "Alright. Is Chomei coming with him?"

"Probably. And by probably, I mean there's a 99.99% chance of him doing so."

"It _is_ Chomei, after all," Naruto murmured. He looked up again and smiled, waving. "You should probably go now. Your secretary is probably worrying his ass off at work."

Kurama chuckled, nodding. And then he left.

As soon as his brother was out of sight, Naruto closed the door and turned to see Iruka staring at him, the brunet evidently torn between utter bafflement and anger for being interrupted. Behind him, his classmates wore the same expressions though there was a hint of confusion.

Iruka blinked slowly.

"…Naruto?"


End file.
